Dodecatheon hendersonii
Encyclopedia
Dodecatheon hendersonii is a species of Dodecatheon
native to western North America
, from California
north to southern British Columbia
and Idaho
. In California, it occurs in the northwest (except the north coast), the Cascade Range
, the Sierra Nevada foothills, the Central Valley, the San Francisco Bay Area
, the north Inner South Coast Ranges, and the San Bernardino Mountains
. It is generally found in open woodlands, from sea level in British Columbia, up to 1900 m altitude in California. Common names include broad-leaved shooting star, Henderson's shooting star, mosquito bills, and sailor caps.
D. hendersonii is summer deciduous
, dying back to the ground after the rains cease. It has basal clumps of leaves, 2–16 cm, with nodding flowers 6–25 mm long on stems 10–30 cm tall. The flowers are magenta to deep lavender to white, with the stamen
s are thrust out and the sepal
s bent back. It is highly variable and hybridizes with Dodecatheon clevelandii
, from which it can be distinguished by its reddish or purplish stem.
It can be grown by division in winter. It prefers shade when inland.
Dodecatheon
Dodecatheon is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the Primrose family Primulaceae. The species have basal clumps of leaves and nodding flowers that are produced at the top of tall stems that rise from where the leaves join the crown. They are commonly called Shooting Stars because of the...
native to western North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, from California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
north to southern British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
and Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. In California, it occurs in the northwest (except the north coast), the Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
, the Sierra Nevada foothills, the Central Valley, the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
, the north Inner South Coast Ranges, and the San Bernardino Mountains
San Bernardino Mountains
The San Bernardino Mountains are a short transverse mountain range north and east of San Bernardino in Southern California in the United States. The mountains run for approximately 60 miles east-west on the southern edge of the Mojave Desert in southwestern San Bernardino County, north of the...
. It is generally found in open woodlands, from sea level in British Columbia, up to 1900 m altitude in California. Common names include broad-leaved shooting star, Henderson's shooting star, mosquito bills, and sailor caps.
D. hendersonii is summer deciduous
Estivation
Aestivation is a state of animal dormancy, characterized by inactivity and a lowered metabolic rate, that is entered in response to high temperatures and arid conditions...
, dying back to the ground after the rains cease. It has basal clumps of leaves, 2–16 cm, with nodding flowers 6–25 mm long on stems 10–30 cm tall. The flowers are magenta to deep lavender to white, with the stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s are thrust out and the sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s bent back. It is highly variable and hybridizes with Dodecatheon clevelandii
Dodecatheon clevelandii
Dodecatheon clevelandii, with the common name is Padre's super shooting star, is a species of Dodecatheon.-Distribution:Dodecatheon clevelandii, native to California and Baja California, is generally found in open grassland areas....
, from which it can be distinguished by its reddish or purplish stem.
Cultivation
It needs good drainage, and needs a dry summer period. Plants germinated from seed may take 3–5 years to produce flowers. For some Dodecatheon, with frequent light fertilization and moisture, dormancy may be delayed, and flowering time may be decreased to 1–2 years. Another technique to speed flowering is to place them in a cooler after dormancy, then bring them to a shadehouse in midsummer.It can be grown by division in winter. It prefers shade when inland.